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Results: 1 - 10 of 10
View Yvonne Jones Profile
Lib. (NL)
View Yvonne Jones Profile
2021-05-04 11:58
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I was really glad to hear these witnesses today. I know that you have first-hand experience in providing services around food security in the north.
I want to say to Mr. Thorhaug, I've been in your facility in Iqaluit and I've been very impressed with the work that you've been doing there.
Mr. Wilson, I'm a C3 alumnus too. I had the pleasure of travelling with MP Adam van Koeverden and saw him in that Inuit canoe. He was pretty awesome, let me tell you.
I know that we also have another guest coming up from Arctic Fresh. I've toured their facilities as well. I want to acknowledge the good work that's being done.
I also want to say that over the past year we've talked a little bit about the CERB program. There have been over 10,000 Nunavummiut who have received the CERB program. That's more than one in four of every resident. When you look at these programs that we're translating into benefits on the ground over the last year, everything from caregiver benefits to the emergency response benefit in particular, there has been over $100 million in new money that has been generated in that economy. That's why we've been able to see things like a little less pressure on the food banks and other services.
However, having said that, we know that the demand is still there. This year, in the budget we added $163 million in additional funding for food security. That's in addition to what is currently being paid out now under the harvester support program, which, in its first years, has already been shown to be successful, and there are many opportunities to build on that program to meet the need for food security of traditional foods. Also, it's in addition to what we currently pay out to supplement nutritious foods like those that come through the North West Company and through other companies across that region.
I hear several things from people on the ground on a regular basis. One is that they want to have the ability for direct ordering. What do you think is the role that government can play in that and how do you see that translating on the ground?
We also get requests for subsidized shipping for online orders. Is there a role for the Government of Canada, and how do you see that we could play a role in seeing some of these things materialize?
Of course, the other one is with regard to an income supplement. As I said, this past year, over $100 million in additional money went into the local economy, into families' pockets, into homes. We also added more money into food banks, food services, seniors networks. In addition to that, we paid out money directly to Inuit-based governments, which they could use for both food security vouchers and heat security vouchers for residents.
All of these things we've seen are making a difference. How do we improve on it and how do we ensure that people have more options for food security than what they have today?
I'm going to listen to what the panellists have to say. You can speak from your perspective of the services you currently deliver, or maybe you have thoughts that are outside of what what you're currently doing that we'd be interested in hearing.
View Yvonne Jones Profile
Lib. (NL)
View Yvonne Jones Profile
2021-05-04 12:02
We can start with you, Mr. Thorhaug.
View Yvonne Jones Profile
Lib. (NL)
View Yvonne Jones Profile
2021-05-04 13:13
Yes.
My request is that we exchange the Tsawwassen First Nation peace officer program witness, who was scheduled for May 13, and replace them with Andrew Beynon, the director of land code governance. That's for the First Nations Land Management Resource Centre and the work plan.
Is that okay with everyone?
View Yvonne Jones Profile
Lib. (NL)
View Yvonne Jones Profile
2021-05-04 13:14
I can't answer that. I don't know whose witnesses they were. All I know is that there was—
View Yvonne Jones Profile
Lib. (NL)
View Yvonne Jones Profile
2021-05-04 13:14
Yes, the clerk might be able to clarify, but one I think couldn't make it, so there was a request to change the witness.
View Yvonne Jones Profile
Lib. (NL)
View Yvonne Jones Profile
2021-01-26 11:20
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Deputy Grand Chief, for joining us today. I really appreciate your taking the time to inform our committee about the challenges around food security in your area. To give you a bit of context, I represent the northern riding of Labrador. I grew up in an isolated, remote community so I understand very well the challenges you're dealing with.
I have a couple of questions. First of all, last year we introduced the harvester support grant through the Government of Canada and obviously being an indigenous person in remote Canada I've seen first-hand how the benefits of that program have helped so many families. I'm wondering if you guys were able to launch that program this year and what your thoughts are around it. Is it contributing to reducing some forms of food insecurity in your community?
My second question would be this: The Government of Canada has a number of programs and grants that are responding to food security across northern regions. I'd like to hear from you what you think we should be doing more of or doing differently that could really help with food security in your community. I know that through COVID money, your first nations would have received funding. I know that some of that funding in my area went to food security and heat security programs. What feedback did you get on that from the people you represent?
View Yvonne Jones Profile
Lib. (NL)
View Yvonne Jones Profile
2021-01-26 11:26
Thank you very much for the response.
Mr. Chair, do I have enough time to ask another question?
View Yvonne Jones Profile
Lib. (NL)
View Yvonne Jones Profile
2021-01-26 11:26
Okay.
Deputy Grand Chief, I appreciate your feedback. It's not uncommon to what I've heard from others in terms of whether the subsidies are being transferred and how it can be monitored a little differently. I certainly appreciate the feedback from your area as well.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
View Yvonne Jones Profile
Lib. (NL)
View Yvonne Jones Profile
2020-12-10 12:47
Good morning, everyone.
Thank you, President Lampe, President Eetoolook and my good friend Adamie, for your presentations this morning. It's always good to hear each of you speak. I know this is a topic you could talk about for many hours, at length, because you're living it every single day. You know it better than anyone I know.
I'm going to ask one brief question. Like all of my colleagues on this panel today, I wish that I could ask you many, many questions. I don't know how the chair feels, but I would really welcome the opportunity to invite you back to our committee. I think your perspective is going to be very important to us as we determine our recommendations to the federal government going forward. I make that suggestion.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I know the Government of Canada made allocations that were Inuit-specific. They were allocated to each of the Inuit governments in Canada. A lot of it was geared towards food security and heat security.
How did you find that benefit and that program? Is this something you could see, going forward, that would make a huge difference in your communities in meeting food insecurity for people on low income?
Please feel free to start, whoever wishes to do so.
View Yvonne Jones Profile
Lib. (NL)
View Yvonne Jones Profile
2020-12-08 13:00
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to thank the panellists this morning. Ms. Turner, Ms. St. Denis, Minister Pillai, it's really good to see you all on the line and hear your presentations this morning.
There are so many questions I could ask, but I know we have limited time. Obviously, we've seen some transformational changes around Nutrition North Canada and food security over the last few years, in terms of increased federal supports, whether it's in agri-food investments, emergency food funds, increases to the Nutrition North subsidy and so on, as well as expanding the program and the number of communities.
One debate continues. I'd like to get your view on this. Right now, Nutrition North Canada really provides a subsidy to wholesale companies. There's always an argument around whether that should be going to the wholesalers or to the airlines. I'd like to get your feedback on that.
The other question I have is for Ms. Turner. I'll throw it out there, and hopefully there's enough time.
Nunavummiut are impacted much more than other populations when it comes to food insecurity in Canada. In the last survey, it showed 57%. Are there culturally respective programs that you see that could be launched in Nunavut to help us alleviate some of the difficulty that families are having, which are probably not being done right now?
I'll leave my questions right there. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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